Menu

C64

NGC 2362

Open Cluster Excellent (71/100)
C64 OpenCluster Canis Major Visible Level 1 Naked eye / Binoculars - Wide field preferred
Credit: Chuck Ayoub. License: CC0. (Wikimedia Commons)
Star Map Add to List Add to Plan
Back to Catalog

Properties

Magnitude 4.1
Angular Size 7.2′
Distance 5100 ly
Open Cluster [Distance: 5100 ly]

Position & Identifiers

RA 07h 08m 42.0s
Dec -24° 57' 18.0"
Constellation Canis Major
Catalog C64

Visibility

Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.

Survey Image

Loading survey image…

About C64

Description

NGC 2362 is a compact, young open cluster in Canis Major, about 4,800 light-years away. It is dominated by the brilliant magnitude 4.4 blue supergiant Tau Canis Majoris at its center, surrounded by about 60 fainter members within 8 arcminutes.

Observing Tips

A striking sight in small telescopes, with the dazzling Tau CMa surrounded by a spray of fainter stars. Best at 60-100x. The cluster is easy to find as Tau CMa is visible to the naked eye. Best in winter evenings.

History

Discovered by Giovanni Battista Hodierna before 1654. The cluster is only about 5 million years old, making it one of the youngest open clusters known.

Fun Facts

Tau Canis Majoris, the cluster's brightest star, is actually a multiple star system with at least 5 components. The primary is an O-type supergiant about 50,000 times more luminous than the Sun and will likely explode as a supernova.

Community Photos (1)

Credit: Chuck Ayoub. License: CC0. (Wikimedia Commons)

Credit: Chuck Ayoub. License: CC0. (Wikimedia Commons)

Skybred Mar 2, 2026